this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2023
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It is beyond me that so many plazas, representing over a dozen stores, do not have bike racks. (lemmy.ca)
submitted 1 year ago by Showroom7561@lemmy.ca to c/bicycles@lemmy.ca
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If they can have handicap parking, wheelchair ramps, and other accessibility features (rightfully so!), what's the problem with helping businesses to make their stores accessible by bike?

Everyone wants to support “buy local”, and there's no better way to do it than by bike!

Seems like installing a simple bike rack would be a win-win-win all around. What exactly is the difficulty?

I don't believe for a second that it's a "they don't know unless you tell them" problem, because I've contacted many, MANY stores and plaza management to let them know that they are losing business. Nothing changes.

And it's not like they can't see people locking their bikes to signs, trees, fences, or cluttering up the walkways because they have no other options when visiting their business.

Backstory: Over the last two years, I've been adding cycling infrastructure to OpenStreetMap. Stuff like bike lanes, bike parking, repair stands, etc. I've spent dozens of hours checking plazas in a 30 km radius, local storefronts, malls, etc., to see what options they offer. It's SHOCKING to see how many have absolutely no bike parking. Large stores, post offices, coffee shops, or even gyms. I try to contact as many as I can, but almost never receive replies or acknowledgement. Contacting local representatives is even more futile, as they have no control over what these businesses do. This means I'm either going far out of my way to visit stores that have bike parking, or I take a car, which seems like madness either way.

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[–] Showroom7561@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

bike paths or sidewalks that abruptly end, pushing me out onto a 45mph road in order to continue on my way.

Yeah, this kills me every time I see it. It's like leading lambs to slaughter.

Part of the problem is when two municipalities (or the region they are part of) are on different wavelengths or at different stages of planning.

One could have a multiuse path or bike lane spanning across the entire municipality, and then it ends into a death trap once you hit the neighbouring municipality.

We have a section around here where multiuse paths connecting two municipalities ends with no sidewalk, no bike lane, and a highway overpass cross over to get to the other side. Or, you could detour 6KM to avoid 1KM of high-speed traffic... Like WTF?

[–] bakachu@sh.itjust.works 1 points 1 year ago

Let me tell you how much I love to play the game of choices that I have to make very publicly and abruptly on the roads... Ashamed to say, but 9 times out of 10 I'll make the dangerous, but more convenient one.